Bridge for stringed musical instrument



March 1956 J. THOMPSON BRIDGE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 9. 1953 I N V EN TOR. Jbse'mus F/oMPso/v Arramvs Y5 United States Patent BRIDGE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Josephus Thompson, Covington, Ohio, assignor of twothirds to Grover Musical Products, -Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 9, 1953, Serial No. 360,439

3 Claims. (Cl. 84307) My present invention relates to the general art of musical instruments; more specifically, it consists of a bridge for a stringed musical instrument and is an improvement upon the U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,447,174, March 6, 1923, to Grover.

As will be observed from the above-noted Grover patent, he provided a string-receiving bridge and a leg disposed transversely midway thereof; and it is upon this particular organization that my present invention is an improvement.

One object of my present invention is to devise such a bridge in which there is provided an improved means of engagement between the string-receiving bar thereof and the transversely disposed leg midway thereof.

Another object is to devise such a bridge that is so constructed as to afford maximum strength and dependability over an indefinite period of time.

Another object of my present invention is to devise such a bridge with longitudinally and transversely extended surface engagement with the instrument to which it is applied so as to thereby preclude the danger of tipping.

A further object is to provide such a device with means for facilitating the assembling of the same.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective distended view of the parts of my present improved device ready to be assembled;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my present improved form of device;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the auxiliary intermediate leg or abutment member alone.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there might be various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the body member 1 is of suitable length and has the notches N in the upper surface thereof for the strings of the musical instrument to which applied. The body member 1 may be of upwardly and inwardly tapering form and is provided at its two ends with the integral longitudinally extended legs or abutments 2 and 3 so as to afford means of substantial and dependable surface engagement lengthwise thereof upon the instrument.

The under-side of the body member 1 is formed between the abutments 2 and 3 with duplicate arch portions 4 and 5 between which there is provided the middle depending abutment portion 6. The portion 6 is formed with the downwardly pointed wedge portion 7 which stops short of the lower surface of the middle abutment portion 6. At the same time, the opposite sides of the middle abutment portion 6 are provided with straightsided parallel slots 7a, adjoining the wedge portion 7,

to receive in snug frictional engagement the flat supplemental abutment member or crutch 8 which is of upwardly and inwardly tapering form and has a downwardly and inwardly tapering recess 9 in its upper edge for tight wedge engagement with the corresponding wedge portion 7 of the body member 1. The supplemental abutment or crutch 8 extends transversely of the body member 1 and has the downwardly diverging leg portions 8a so as to afford means of substantial surface engagement transversely of the body member 1, the lower surfaces of the abutments 2 and 3 and of the leg portions being flush with each other.

The supplemental abutment 8 may be forced into such tight wedging engagement with the wedge portion 7 of the main body member 1 to the fullest extent, that is until the bottom of the recess 9 comes into actual contactual engagement with the bottom edge of the wedge portion 7 of the body member 1. These two parts may be assembled by means of a press and this point of engagement will serve to indicate that the parts have been engaged to the proper extent; that is to say, this point of interengagement will correspond with the flush relation between the under-surfaces of the end abutments 2 and 3 and of the leg portions 8a. Also, the interengagement of the wedge portions 7 and 9 will serve as a centering means so as to facilitate and ensure proper assembly of the parts.

With my double arch form of body member 1, there is realized maximum strength for any given material and consequently it may be possible to employ a lighter grade or weight of material than would otherwise be possible. Also, the wedge engagement between the body member 1 and the auxiliary abutment 8 will ensure most dependable service over an indefinite period of time; and the extended surface engagement of the bottoms of the abutments in both longitudinal and transverse directions will ensure against danger of tipping of the bridge at any time. The body member 1 and the auxiliary abutment 8 may be made of any suitable material, as for instance wood or plastic composition.

It is believed that other practical advantages of my present invention will suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

l. A bridge for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a one-piece longitudinally extending body member having integral end abutments with longitudinally extended foot portions at the two ends thereof so as to provide means of substantial longitudinal surface engagement with the instrument to which applied and providing a space between the same and beneath said body member, the bottom surface of said body member being provided midway of the length thereof with a downwardly pointing symmetrical wedge portion terminating short of the lower surface of said body member and providing straightsided slots in the opposite lateral sides of said body memher, and a separate abutment of upwardly and inwardly tapering form with a downwardly and inwardly tapering recess in the top thereof in wedging engagement with the wedge portion of said body member and having its sides snugly engaged between said parallel sides of said slots in said body member, the peak of said wedge portion being in engagement with the bottom of said tapering recess, and said separate abutment having spaced diverging foot portions flush with the bottoms of said abutments of said body member so as to provide substantial transverse surface engagement with the instrument to which applied.

2. A bridge for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a one-piece longitudinally extending body member having integral abutments with longitudinally extended foot portions depending from the two ends thereof so as to provide imean s o fsubstantial longitudinal surface engagement with the instrument to which applied and providing a space therebetween and beneath said body member, the lower surface of said body member being formed with duplicate arches extending from said abutments to the middle of said body member and having a depending abutment portion-midway between said arches, said midway abutment portion being provided with a downwardly pointing symmetrical wedge portion terminating short of the lower surface of said midway abutment portion and :providingstraight-sided slots in the laterally opposite sides of said midway abutment portion, and a separate-abutment of upwardly and inwardly tapering form with a downwardly and inwardly tapering recess in tie top thereof in Wedging engagement with said wedge portion of said body member and having. its side surfaces engaged between the parallel sides of said slots in said body member, and said separateabutment having spaced transversely diverging foot portions flush with the bottoms of said end abutments of said body member so as to provide means of substantial surfaceengagernent, transversely thereof, with the instrument to which applied.

3. A bridge for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a longitudinally extending body member having end abutments with foot portions at the two ends thereof so as to provide means of engagement with the instrument to which applied andproviding a space between the same and beneath said body member, the bottom surface of said body member being provided midway of the length thereof with a downwardly pointing symmetrical wedge portion terminating short of the lower surface of said body member and providing straight-sided slots in the opposite lateral sides of said body member, and a separate abutment of upwardly and inwardly tapering form with a downwardly and inwardly tapering recess in the top thereof in wedging engagement with the wedge portion of said body member and having its sides snugly engaged between said parallel sides of said slots in said body member, the peak of said wedge portion being in engagement with the bottom of said tapering recess, and said separate abutment having spaced diverging foot portions flush with the bottoms of said abutments of said body member so as to provide substantial transverse surface engagement with the instrument to which applied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

